TY - JOUR
T1 - Question comprehension and recall
T2 - The reporting of induced abortions in quantitative surveys on the general population
AU - Moreau, Caroline
AU - Bajos, Nathalie
AU - Bouyer, Jean
AU - Job-Spira, Nadine
AU - Goulard, Hélène
AU - Ducot, Béatrice
AU - Ferrand, Michèle
AU - Hassoun, Danielle
AU - Kaminski, Monique
AU - Lelong, Nathalie
AU - Leridon, Henri
AU - Oustry, Pascale
AU - Razafindratsima, Nicolas
AU - Rossier, Clémentine
AU - Warzawski, Josiane
PY - 2004/5
Y1 - 2004/5
N2 - The aims of this study on abortion underestimation are twofold. First, to compare the underreporting of induced abortion using different questions on this event from the same study, and the results from other recent French studies. Second, to estimate the classification errors due to misunderstanding of the terms used to describe induced abortion. The data came from the COCON study on contraceptive use and induced abortion in France. A representative sample of 2,863 women aged 18-44 was used for the analysis. Despite particular care over question wordin g, underestimation of induced abortion remained high (40%) in the COCON survey. Nevertheless, the study demonstrates the value of using a varied vocabulary to describe induced abortion, since this reduces classification errors and improves data quality. The study also raises questions about the significance of underreporting, which seems to be a constant regardless of the survey design and the form of questioning. One factor is the difficulty of talking about an event experienced as a failure, but other explanations are also possible, in particular the reluctance to disclose health-related events in general.
AB - The aims of this study on abortion underestimation are twofold. First, to compare the underreporting of induced abortion using different questions on this event from the same study, and the results from other recent French studies. Second, to estimate the classification errors due to misunderstanding of the terms used to describe induced abortion. The data came from the COCON study on contraceptive use and induced abortion in France. A representative sample of 2,863 women aged 18-44 was used for the analysis. Despite particular care over question wordin g, underestimation of induced abortion remained high (40%) in the COCON survey. Nevertheless, the study demonstrates the value of using a varied vocabulary to describe induced abortion, since this reduces classification errors and improves data quality. The study also raises questions about the significance of underreporting, which seems to be a constant regardless of the survey design and the form of questioning. One factor is the difficulty of talking about an event experienced as a failure, but other explanations are also possible, in particular the reluctance to disclose health-related events in general.
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U2 - 10.2307/3654913
DO - 10.2307/3654913
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:33646892387
SN - 1634-2941
VL - 59
SP - 439
EP - 454
JO - Population
JF - Population
IS - 3-4
ER -